The GPF is over and the slew of national competitions will begin either shortly or is already underway by the time this is posted. While all this is happening, I usually like to take this time in the mid-season to reflect upon the programs we’ve seen and talk about my favourites so far. Of course, the programs listed here are my opinion, and my preferences generally tend towards programs that either do well in marrying movement to music, or do well to demonstrate certain talents or skills of a specific skater. So, with that, let’s see what some of my favourite programs are this season.More

This is truly one of the strangest GPFs – there’s no Evgenia, Yuzu or Papadakis/Cizeron. All in all, it has been an interesting post-Olympic season. Hopefully all goes well to Evgenia, who’s trying to re-learn all that she’s ever known, Yuzu for a speedy recovery, and well, I think Papadakis/Cizeron need no encouragement or help considering their performance at the Internationaux de France was quite dominant (though the marks needed a little more growing room for the rest of the season). Either way, the predictions will be quite tough this time around since this GPF will help determine how the dust will settle over the course of this new Olympic cycle.

Ok, my current internet configuration hates me (for some reason my portable wifi stick hates being in my AirBnB) and I’m currently on vacation, taking a break from work, life, and all the frills that go with it. Again, predictions this week will be names on a page so I can rest up before I head back home in a few days. I’m writing this on my tablet so formatting will be a bit weird. Autocorrect also has a tendency to change proper names a lot (I once got Joanne Rochester on my phone when attempting to type Joannie Rochette…) so fingers crossed this post actually gets published!

Like last week, this week’s predictions will be names on a page. I feel like work, life and everything in between has dialed it up to 11 lately and I am in a serious need for a break. As a result, I have decided to extend my non-CoR coverage this year so I can properly get some rest during my trip next week.

Side-note: I loved Hiroshima when I last visited. It was a city with a lot of heart. I am so envious of the people who get to go to the competition live this year.

Work has gone from 0 to 100 in a very short span of time, I’m slightly sleep deprived, trying to keep up with my social calendar, while planning my vacation for next week. (I’ll be in Japan during the week of NHK! Is figure skating popular in Okinawa too? A tropical paradise doesn’t seem like a place where figure skating would be super popular…) You can say that life is a crazy whirlwind for me right now. Names on page predictions this week for the Grand Prix of Helsinki. Onwards!

Confession: Sara Hurtado & Kirill Khaliavin’s FD to Pink Floyd and Harry Styles’ Sign of the Times is a guilty pleasure kind of program for me. I don’t like the music cuts but the campy drama? I live for it.

What are your predictions? And any Japanese readers have any recommendations for things to do/try in Okinawa?

Somehow I forget every year how gruelling the GP series can be. Skate Canada is upon us and it’s time for predictions! Skate America last week was full of surprises (some of them in the best way possible) but that’s what makes predictions so much fun!

Skating season is upon us and between being on and off sick, the cold weather and my packed calendar, I’m not sure if I’m ready. Either way, onwards we go, there is no turning back! Skate America predictions, let’s go!